1. Field of the Invention
The field of the invention relates to systems and methods for issuing bonuses to players of gaming terminals.
2. Description of the Related Art
Modernly gaming terminals include not only a base or primary game but one or more bonus games and/or special features. These features may be triggered randomly or may be triggered by the player obtaining one or more outcomes from the base game. For example a player may receive a special symbol(s) triggering a feature of free games, a bonus game or some other feature. These bonus features are designed into the game and the award structure for the bonus or feature is accounted for when determining the theoretical payback percentage for the game, i.e. the theoretical payback to the player for each unit wagered. For example the base game may have a theoretical payback of 80% with the bonus feature having a theoretical payback (equivalent value based upon payback and bonus feature hit frequency) contributing another 15% yielding a game having an overall payback percentage of 95%. Bonus features such as sets of free games, or a “pick a prize” bonus or a spinning wheel game have equivalent values which contribute to the payback percentage for the game. Depending upon the base game payback, the hit frequency for the feature game, i.e. the probability that during any spin of the base game the feature game will be triggered, and the feature game payback the overall payback percentage for the game can be crafted as desired or required.
Players tend to gravitate toward their favorite games. Perhaps a player likes the game theme or has had past success with the game or enjoys the various feature games. The player becomes familiar with the game features and understands the play characteristics of their favorite games.
In regards to casino play, and in the future it is anticipated Internet or mobile telephone or personal data assistant (PDA) wagering, operators drive player loyalty in one respect through system-provided bonusing. The casino (or gaming network) includes a communication network by which an operator can monitor player activity such as wagers, jackpots, games played and the like. Players are identified typically thought the player's use of a loyalty card having a machine readable stripe. For a brick and mortar casino an example of such a system is the Bally CMS® system sold by Bally Technologies, Inc. of Las Vegas, Nev. These systems interface with card readers at gaming terminals and table game input devices to provide the aforesaid tracking functions. Based upon the data collected the casino can provide benefits and incentives to retain a player's loyalty by, for example, awarding “comps” in the form of cash back, discounts for goods and services and gifts. The tracking can be restricted to a single venue or can be on a national basis such as described in Boushy, U.S. Pat. No. 7,419,427 issued Sep. 2, 2008 and titled “NATIONAL CUSTOMER RECOGNITION SYSTEM AND METHOD”, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference. The level of “comps” available to the player is related to the player's rating which quantifies the value of the player to the casino. A higher rated player is one who spends and gambles more than a lower rated player. A higher rated player is entitled to more valuable or additional comps.
Using the network system-provided bonusing can be crafted using the network to assemble funds by allocation of a percentage of player wagers at gaming terminals connected to the network to a pool. When the pool reaches a trigger amount, for example, all or a portion of the pool is awarded awarding to the player whose contribution caused the trigger value to be met or exceeded. These types of bonuses are often referred to a “Mystery jackpots” since they are awarded typically as a result of a system configuration and the basis for the award is a mystery to the player since it has nothing to do with the outcome received on the player's gaming terminal.
The system-provided bonuses have heretofore been delivered by directly awarding cash or credits to the player at the gaming terminal or to the player's electronic account from which the player may download credits for play. Thus the bonus is delivered as cash or its equivalent. It would be advantageous if the system-provided, bonus could be delivered through a feature, enhanced feature or additional feature of the game being played by the player. This would increase the entertainment value of the bonus as well as enhance the player's loyalty to the game they are playing. It would also be advantageous if different funds could be sourced for the system-provided bonus such as comps or points earned from food and beverage, lodging, gift shop, spa or golf purchases as well as funds donated from other sources. In this regard it would be advantageous if the casino or a third party could brand the bonus to provide an additional form of advertising. It would further be advantageous if a player, who is entitled to a bonus of a certain value, could elect to receive the bonus as an additional or enhanced feature of the game they are playing.